Pepper spray store opens in Bethlehem

Co-owners Jane and Nelson Lauver stand next to product displays in The Pepper… (HARRY FISHER, THE MORNING…)

December 17, 2011|Retail Watch | Scanning the Storefronts

I'm sure many have walked by The Pepper Spray Store on the lower level of the Main Street Commons in downtown Bethlehem and wondered what the heck the place is about.

I know I did. Pepper spray, really?

The quaint shop is owned by broadcaster and motivational speaker Nelson Lauver and his wife, Jane.

The two decided to open the store after Nelson Lauver said he had little success finding a place to buy pepper spray for his wife.

The Pepper Spray Store sells pepper spray in many forms, as well as other personal safety items by the Mace company.

Its shelves are stocked with pepper spray in traditional canisters that can be tied to a key chain, as well as some nontraditional products that look like lipstick. The shop also sells pepper gel, dog and bear repellent, and the Mace Pepper Gun, which delivers a targeted stream of pepper spray up to 20 feet, according to Mace's website.

"What we are doing here is offering a variety of different applications of pepper spray," Jane Lauver said. "We have products that are empties to show customers and they can feel it in their hand and know how the product works for them before they purchase."

Longtime friends Joe Popovich and Tim Butz have assumed management of the 135-seat Salisbury Township eatery, which for years had been known for its white linens and fare like chicken cordon bleu, surf & turf, tenderloin tips and lobster tail.

The two said the fine dining concept has faded in the lackluster economy, while the sports bar theme looks promising. Upgrades include pub-style seating, pool tables and 25 flat-screen televisions. The space also houses a VIP room and beer-to-go sales.

The restaurant's name will eventually change, they added.

Popovich and Butz also hired an executive chef to boost the menu beyond typical pub grub. That means entrees like New York strip steak, filet mignon and boneless chicken breast in a mango citrus marinade. The eatery will still offer traditional pub fare like boneless wings, chicken fingers, hoagies, gyros and cheesesteaks.

Mountainside also hosts theme nights like Poker Thursday and live entertainment.

New owners Tim and Lynne Ryden, of Forks Township, took over the pizzeria several weeks ago.

The restaurant's interior will remain the same, but its name will change to Sammi's Pizzeria and Italian Restaurant — named after the Rydens' 4-year-old daughter.

The restaurant's menu will keep Mi Piace's signature dishes, but the Rydens are adding more salads, wraps, expanding the specialty pizza offerings and adding more sandwiches such as Reuben and French dip.

An Italian eatery named That's Amore is replacing the former Westgate Diner on Schoenersville Road Bethlehem, its owner said.

The new eatery is owned by Joseph Jurkivo, a former chef at downtown Bethlehem's popular Mama Nina's Italian restaurant.

Jurkivo left Mama Nina's in November. He's planning to open his new venture by Jan. 2, mirroring roughly 70 percent of the Mama Nina's menu.

He'll also offer more casual fare like paninis and sandwiches, but the restaurant will not serve pizza.

Westgate Diner closed earlier this year. The space was briefly The Greek Island Cafe before going dark in November.

The shuttered Lupo's Beef & Ale is up for sale in Allentown's West End.

Its owners' decision to sell the establishment at 2149 Reading Road follows a recent judicial ruling that upheld the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board's decision to forgo renewing the establishment's liquor license.

In January, Lupo's was denied renewal of its liquor license because of its history of liquor code violations and failure to adhere to rules the LCB set for Lupo's, according to court records.

The LCB's strict oversight of Lupo's followed what court records identified as 13 liquor code violations between 1994 and 2008.

Lupo's owners are seeking a buyer with hopes of reopening the space soon, according Lupo's spokeswoman Rhonda Heck.

Lupo's has been a staple of Allentown's West End for more than two decades. The restaurant has been popular for charity events.

The Cafe at the Allentown Art Museum is open for business, the latest unveiling for the downtown museum that recently completed a major renovation and expansion.

The cafe is run by Karen Hunter, a popular caterer in the Lehigh Valley and the exclusive caterer for the Allentown museum for several years.